A Renewed Interest

Some fascinating events have taken place over the past two weeks that have fueled a renewed interest in the subject of revival. Numerous critiques, of course, have been written about the “revival” taking place at Asbury Seminary. My goal here is not to offer my two cents worth on whether or not the revival is genuine. Ultimately, God knows, and time will tell (Acts 5:38-39). Rather, I’d like to address a common misconception about the relationship between revival and routine faithfulness.

Before jumping in, however, let’s be clear on our terms: what exactly is a revival?

Defining Revival

Revival, according to Ian Murray, is “an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, brought about by the intercession of Christ, resulting in a new degree of life in the churches and a widespread movement of grace among the unconverted. It is an extraordinary communication of the Spirit of God, a superabundance of the Spirit’s operations, and enlargement of His manifest power.”[1] During a revival, faithful churches don’t necessarily do anything different or unique. They preach, pray, evangelize, disciple, and worship in obedience to God. The difference, however, happens when the Spirit sovereignly choses to bless the ministry of the Word with abundant, life-giving power.

Characteristics of a True Revival

According to Jonathan Edwards, “A true revival exalts Jesus Christ, provokes Satan, prioritizes the Bible, and inspires love.” [2] The Lord uses the preaching and teaching of His Word to awaken sinners and revive His people. From the example of God’s Word and church history, we also see that earnest, faith-filled prayer usually precedes an outpouring of God’s Spirit. As Hansen states, “There never has been a revival except where there have been Christian men and women thoroughly believing in and whole-heartedly pleading the promises of God.”[3] The preaching of God’s Word and fervent prayer are also accompanied by thorough confession, humble repentance, and evangelistic boldness.

A revival is not something that can be manipulated or manufactured by man. It is something that only God in His grace can bring to His people as they seek His face through His Word in a prayerful spirit of repentance and faith.

Not at Odds: Revival and Routine

Revival happens when God sovereignly chooses to bless the ordinary means of spiritual growth with an unusual degree of power. A true revival therefore will never diminish the necessity of routine faithfulness. Sadly, many Christians unintentionally pit revival fruitfulness against ordinary faithfulness. We celebrate one and downplay the other. Revival and routine, however, are not mutually exclusive. We should pursue and value both.

Pursuing Faithfulness

God calls us to be faithful (I Cor. 4:1-2). When we stand before the Lord, He will reward us based upon our faithfulness (Mt. 25:14-30). The Christian life isn’t lived on the mountaintops of emotional experiences. Rather, it is cultivated in the ebb and flow of ordinary life as we learn to faithfully abide in Christ.

Revival, while important, is no substitute for a faithful life and ministry. The Lord may choose to bless our ministries with revival. He may choose not to. Either way, our responsibility is to be faithful and let God take care of the rest.

Pursing Fruitfulness

That being said, don’t let the pursuit of faithfulness keep you from earnestly desiring greater fruitfulness. Like the great missionary William Carey, we should “expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”[4] We should have a “holy discontent” with our present spiritual attainment as we look to God for a greater degree of his power and presence in our lives. As the Hansen and Woodbridge note,

“Many Christians have grown so content with the ordinary that they don’t bother asking God for anything more. False biblical dichotomies that widen the chasm between the New Testament and us cannot justify reluctance to pray as Jesus and the apostles prayed. We who live in an era of small things must remember eras when the big things seen and heard in the Bible returned once more.” [5]

A Final Challenge

Could it be that our lack of faithfulness and faith is hindering a true revival in our midst? Have we lost sight of the power of God to shape and sustain a faithful, fruitful life and ministry? May God grant us grace to seek His renewing, refreshing presence afresh as we faithfully walk with Him today.

[1] Murray, Ian. Pentecost—Today? The Biblical Basis for Understanding Revival. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1998, 23-24.

[2] Collin Hansen and John Woodbridge. A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories That Stretch and Stir (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 182.

[3] Hansen and Woodbridge, 153.

[4] This quotation was originally spoken in William Carey’s sermon to the Baptist Association meeting in Northampton, England, May 30, 1792.

[5] Hansen and Woodbridge, A God-Sized Vision, 12.